For High School Students

High School Students

Welcome to the Hawaii Pre-Health Career Corps!

Do you want to learn more about health careers? Are you interested in being a part of a support system for college and career preparation? Join the Hawaii Pre-Health Career Corps!

To become a Corps member, fill out this online application.

Explore the links below for opportunities and resources that will help you on your journey toward your dream health career!

High School Student Resources

Volunteering is a wonderful way to give back to your community and to explore the many areas of healthcare. We encourage you to engage in different types of volunteer work, including non-clinical opportunities such as at museums, schools and not for profit organizations.

Do you need help finding a volunteer opportunity? We are here to assist you! Contact us at phcc@hawaii.edu

View Volunteer Experiences

Career shadowing is an opportunity for a student to spend time with a healthcare professional in order to learn more about a career and observe daily work activities. The benefits of career shadowing include:

  • Learning about the educational preparation and experience that is necessary to enter a specific field
  • Understanding better what you want and do not want in a career
  • Being introduced to a career that you may not have considered
  • Gain experience to include on your high school resume
  • Expanding your networking contacts

Shadowing Opportunities through PHCC

We are happy to assist you in finding a healthcare professional to shadow. We are able to place Corps members with 1-day or half day shadowing with health professionals. Corps members can shadow up to three professionals a year, depending on availability.  

If you have not participated in Corps events or volunteered with us in the past, we request that you complete the following before we can set you up with shadowing:

  1. Call 15 health professionals’ offices to try to set up shadowing on your own. For guidance with this process, email phcc@hawaii.edu
  2. Attend a 1- hour HIPAA and shadowing training at our Center

If you have participated in Corps events or volunteered with us in the past, we request that you complete #2 in the above list: attend the 1-hour HIPAA and shadowing training at our Area Health Education Center.

For inquiries and to schedule an appointment, email phcc@hawaii.edu

Also, check out these other career shadowing programs below:

Tripler Army Medical Center Shadowing By becoming trained as a Red Cross volunteer at Tripler Army Medical Center, you are able to shadow any physician at Tripler (assuming they are willing). You will have access to the Tripler physician directory and will be able to request to shadow the physician of your choice as a “volunteer”.

Hawaii Pacific Health Summer Internship Program: For graduating high school seniors and college students at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children, Pali Momi Medical Center, Straub Clinic & Hospital, Wilcox Memorial Hospital, and Kauai Medical Clinic. Has a shadowing component.

The Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific has a shadowing program for those 17 years old and over. Call 808-566-3443 for more info.

Research, Internship and Other Opportunities

There are so many research, internship and summer opportunities available to you, both in and out of state! Our Area Health Education Center office also has a listing of health professionals who are interested in providing students with the above opportunities, so if you need assistance finding an opportunity, please contact us at phcc@hawaii.edu.

Ongoing Opportunities

MSMP’s Research and Summer Programs listing

University of Hawaii Department of Biology Internship and Research Listing

University of Hawaii at Hilo Pacific Internships Program for Exploring Science

Health Initiatives, Clinical and Humanitarian Aid Opportunities

Step Up! Kids Study to Measure your Body Composition

Summer Opportunities

Hawaii Pacific Health Health Careers Summer Internship

JABSOM’s Science in Action: Medical Diagnosis and Treatment program

University of Hawaii Cancer Center Summer Research Internship

MSMP’s Research and Summer Programs listing

Pacific STEP-UP: Short term research experience for Underrepresented Persons Summer Program: 8 week summer program for High School Juniors or Seniors. Applications due Feb 15th.

Summer Opportunities Abroad

Gap Medic Shadowing Program

Keck Graduate Institute High School Summer Internship

SAT/ACT Test Preparation: We offer free SAT and ACT test preparation workshops throughout the year. Keep an eye on our “Events” page for workshops coming soon.

Health Career Advising: Wondering what health career is a good fit for you? Schedule an appointment with us. Parents/guardians are welcome. Email phcc@hawaii.edu to schedule your appointment.

CV/Resume and Personal Statement Advising: Let our specialist, Monique Tsang, revise and provide feedback on your CV/Resume and personal statement.  Email them to phcc@hawaii.edu . Here is a sample CV that you can refer to when crafting your own: CVTemplateHS

Take advantage of these free tutoring and test prep services:

University of Hawaii Online Learning Academy: Free math, science and writing tutoring for all public K-12 and community college students statewide

EdReady: Free Math and English support for K-12 and higher education students in the State of Hawaii. Also includes free SAT and ACT support.

Khan Academy: Free Online tutoring and SAT prep (Go to the “Subjects” drop down menu at the top of the page”

ACT online prep

College Board’s resources for SAT preparation

There are so many health careers out there, how do you choose? Use these resources to help you find the health career that’s right for you!

AHEC Resources

***“Which Health Careers Are Right For You?” Online Quiz! Are you wondering which health careers are right for you? Take our online “Which Health Career Is Right For You?” quiz to identify the careers that are your best fit! Your quiz results will link to the corresponding pages in our online Hawaii Health Career Navigator book so that you can learn more about each career.***

AHEC’s Hawaii Health Career Navigator Book: Learn about the various health professions in the State of Hawaii and how to get there

Career Exploration Websites

AAMC’s Navigate Your Journey from Pre-Med through Residency: Advice for choosing a medical career path

Explore Health Careers: Great resource with overviews of healthcare professions and more

NIH OITE Careers Blog: Lots of tips on career exploration, applying for med school and more.

UH Manoa’s “What Can I Do With This Major?” Page

Take These Quizzes To Find Out Which Health Careers Are Right For You!

Health Careers Test: This short quiz helps you discover which health careers match your personality, interests and skill set.

Medical Specialty Aptitude Test: Take this quiz to find out which medical specialty matches with your personality, interests and skill set.

UH’s College and Career Website: Take a RIASEC test to identify which careers and areas of study best suit you, get resume and application assistance, and more

Science Careers: Individual Development Plan: Excellent website with exercises that examine your skills, interests and values to help you find the right science career for you

Learn How To Become: How to work in healthcare and medicine

Specific guidance on proper certifications and licensure, financial aid and salary information 

Info on Specific Careers

Aspiring Docs: If you want to be a doctor or you are thinking about what it takes to become a doctor, then this is the website to begin your journey.

Social Work Guide: Learn about the field of social work and what steps to take to become a social worker.

“How will I pay for this? “is a common question that students ask when faced with paying for college, graduate school or professional school. There are many ways to answer this question. Visit the following links to learn more:

MoneyGeek’s Student Loans Overview

Make College Affordable:

Student Loan Guidebook and College Savings and 529 Plans

Professions that Pay for College Tuition: https://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/college-resource-center/professions-that-pay-tuition/

Nursing Scholarshipshttps://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/degrees/nursing-programs/scholarships/

Companies that Pay for Grad School: https://www.gograd.org/financial-aid/companies-paying-for-grad-school/